Mechanical Engineer

About Atomic Semi

Atomic Semi is building a small, fast semiconductor fab.

It’s already possible to build this with today’s technology and a few simplifications. We’ll build the tools ourselves so we can quickly iterate and improve.

We’re building a small team of exceptional, hands-on engineers to make this happen. Mechanical, electrical, hardware, computer, and process. We’ll own the stack from atoms to architecture. Our team is optimistic about the future and we want to continue pushing the limits of technology.

Smaller is better. Faster is better. Building it ourselves is better.

We believe our team and lab can build anything. We’ve set up 3D printers, a wide array of microscopes, e-beam writers, general fabrication equipment - and whatever is missing, we’ll just invent along the way.

Atomic was founded by Sam Zeloof and Jim Keller. Sam is best known for making chips in his garage, and Jim has been a leader in the semiconductor industry for the past 40 years.

As a Mechanical Engineer at Atomic Semi, you ll design, iterate on, and build specialized equipment for semiconductor fabrication.

We re looking for hands-on engineers across various disciplines to design, iterate on, and build complex systems. Whether tackling heavy design challenges, integrating mechanical, optical, and electronic components, or automating production and manufacturing processes, our philosophy is to get things built and tested in days or weeks—not months—with a focus on viable solutions that meet real production needs.

We re hiring for a range of experience levels across several specialized teams:

• The Positioning Team focuses on systems-level engineering, designing, prototyping, and building semiconductor fab equipment and subsystems related to lithography, motion, and metrology.
• The Vacuum Team is responsible for designing, prototyping, validating, and scaling core semiconductor fabrication equipment. Tool families include Anneal, Deposition, Etch, and Supporting Infrastructure, with goals for each ranging from fundamental design to automation readiness to manufacturing scale-up.
• The Packaging
  Team is responsible for designing, manufacturing, and overseeing the fabrication processes for semiconductor packaging devices. This position emphasizes designing, iterating on, and building specialized equipment for the manufacturing flow, such as laser ablation machines, reflow ovens, and automated metal plating facilities.
• The Automation Team develops robotic automation systems to rapidly produce semiconductor packaging devices.

• Design and iterate on machines and subsystems for semiconductor packaging fabrication
• Create mechanical designs including frames, components, and assemblies
• Integrate mechanical, electrical, and optical components in system assembly, including wiring, optics alignment, and electronics
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to continuously improve fabrication processes and equipment
• Source components and materials while working with vendors to meet project specifications

• 2-7 years of professional experience in mechanical and electromechanical system design
• 2-7 years of hands-on experience building, prototyping, and assembling complex systems
• Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Automation, or Physics

• Master s degree and 3+ years of relevant experience
• Home workshop/lab experience demonstrating passion for hands-on engineering
• Experience building laser machines with comprehensive knowledge of laser system components
• Experience working in both R&D and production environments with hardware
• System integration expertise across mechanical, electrical, and software domains
• Experience with opto-mechanical system design
• Circuit design capabilities for custom control systems and instrumentation
• Basic coding skills for equipment control

We’re an early-stage hardware startup with solid funding, world-class advisors, and a lab/office in San Francisco, CA.

Compensation: Atomic Semi is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The annual salary range for this role is $117,000 – $180,000. Compensation is…